Dining at the Lyons VA Hospital Canteen

Want to see why the federal governmnet SHOULDN’T take care of our healthcare system?

A trip to the federal Veterans Hospital Canteen in the Lyons/Basking Ridge section of Bernards Twp will explain why everyone should be concerned!

Dining at the Lyons VA Hospital Public Canteen

After reading a piece in a local newspaper that the Lyons VA Hospital has an open facility that provides food service to the public, we figured it’d be a good way to support the Veterans, the VA, and the VA Hospital System. Considering they employ veterans as well, it looked like a win-win situation. What we found was disturbing and raises some serious questions about the general operation of the entire facility.

We were torn whether to write about what we saw. But after discussing it with friends, they all agreed that if you want to see something done, then you really need to post the piece.

The Canteen

The dining facility is called “the canteen” located in Building 6 off Knollcroft Road in Lyons (Bernards Township). You can drive in and bypass the gate. Waive as you go by if you’re entering off Valley Road.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’ll eat just about anything, anytime, anywhere. I’m not some kind of “sheesh” that needs white table clothed tables and bottled water. You’re definately not going to find it here. What you will find is some great people working in a place that smells like a geriatric ward mixed with death. Really.

No need to go into the details but the point to make is that this government run facility is truly sad. Put simply, if you walked into this establishment and it was in “Anytown, USA”, you’d turn right around and walk right out. Someone who came with me said: “change the name from can-teen to la-treen – this is an institutionalized nightmare!”

While there are ways to support our veterans, it’d take a monumental effort for the public to apply pressure to do something.

Please Visit the VA Canteen

Do America and the Veterans a favor and go to the Canteen and see for yourself. Come back and write what you think can and should be done. Opinion being, if the federal government thinks they’re going to run a healthcare system like this tiny micro-business nested within the larger government run medical system – run for the hills.

Retail Store

After you visit the Canteen, also visit the retail store and you’ll feel like you walked through a time warp. It’s simply something I remember from my childhood…

From the VA website – “We offer a full-service retail store with such products as electronics, cosmetics, toiletries, and clothing. Items may be purchased tax-free. The retail store is open to patients, staff, and caregivers, and is located in Building 6 on the second floor, across from the Canteen.”

Canteen Hours

Monday-Friday
7:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Location:Building 6 – (Look for the main building and drive around it. It’s in the back) off Knollcroft Road in the Lyons section of Bernards Township, New Jersey. Click Here